Why did southerners resist the increased the tariff in 1828 arguing it should be nullified
Southerners resisted the increased tariff in 1828, known as the Tariff of Abominations, and argued for its nullification for several reasons:
1. Economic Impact: Southern states, particularly those reliant on agriculture, felt that the tariff disproportionately benefited northern industrial states while harming their own agricultural economy. The increased tariff made manufactured goods more expensive, affecting the prices of goods that the South needed to import.
2. Trade Retaliation: Some southern states, such as South Carolina, believed that the tariff was an unconstitutional infringement on their rights and economic interests. They argued that if the federal government had the power to impose tariffs, then states should have the power of nullification to declare such laws void within their borders.
3. Sectionalism: The tariff deepened sectional divisions between the North and the South. Southerners felt that their economic interests were being sacrificed to benefit the industrializing North, further accentuating the regional differences and fueling the sense of southern identity.
4. States' Rights: Nullification advocates in the South believed in the concept of states' rights, which argued for strong state governments that could nullify federal laws they deemed unconstitutional. They saw the increased tariff as a prime example of overreach by the federal government and believed in the right of southern states to nullify it.
Overall, the resistance and nullification arguments against the increased tariff in 1828 were rooted in concerns about the impact on the southern economy, perceived unfairness in favoring the North, and a belief in states' rights as a means to protect their interests.